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Biography - Actor
By George Helmer Steve did not escape the notice of filmmakers. One of the first to contact the young bodybuilder, fresh from his win at 1947 Mr. America contest, was Cecil B. De Mille, the famous director of screen epics. He needed someone to play the Biblical hero Samson in his next extravaganza, and Steve seemed just the one for the job. As time went on Steve did not play Samson but it did give a chance to see what it was going to be like in the film industry.
STEVE REEVES' APPEARANCES To see full versions of the thumbnail images below, just click on the image.
SELECTED MOVIE SYNOPSES Because of his superhuman strength and courage, Hercules (STEVE REEVES) has been summoned by Pelias (IVO GARRANI), King of Jolco, to teach his son, Iphitus (MIMMO PALMARA), the use of arms. On the way to the court, Hercules saves the life of Princess lole (SYLVA KOSCINA) when he stops her runaway horse and helps to repair the broken chariot. lole recalls that tragic night when Pelias murdered his brother, King Aeson, and her cousin, Jason (FABRIZIO MIONI), rightful heir to the throne, disappeared with Chiron (AFRO POLl), General of the Army. With them went the symbol of royalty, The Golden Fleece. In Jolco, Hercules is well received by the King, and lole falls In love with him, but Iphitus resents his high position in the court. During the military training, young Ulysses (GABRIELE ANTONINI), guided by Hercules, defeats Iphitus in an archery contest. Then Hercules easily outdistances him in discus hurling. When Hercules goes after the raging Nemean lion, who has created havoc among the villagers, Iphitus, wishing to regain prestige, follows on horseback. He outruns Hercules chariot, tackles the lion first, and is savagely clawed. Hercules kills the lion, but too late to save Iphitus. The grief-maddened King, spurred on by his sly prime minister, Eurysteus (ARTURO DOMINICI), accuses Hercules of being responsible for Iphitus’ death and orders him to kill the Cretan bull in atonement. After a violent struggle, Hercules destroys the Bull with his bare hands. Following two men to a cave, he finds Chiron and Jason, who have been in hiding for years. Chiron tells Hercules where he has hidden the Fleece, and asks him to help Jason regain the royal symbol and his throne. Hercules and Jason go to Pelias, who refuses to recognize Jason’s claim unless he can produce The Golden Fleece. In the company of the famous Argonauts, Argos (ALDO FIORELLI), Ulysses, Laertes (ANDREA FANTASIA), Orpheus (GINO MATTERA), and Esculapius (G. P. ROSIMO), Jason and Hercules set out on the Argo. Their voyage is filled with adventure. They land on the island of the Amazons, where women warriors entice men and then kill them. The beautiful Amazon Queen, Antea (GIANNA MARIA CANALE), falls in love with Jason, while his fellow Argonauts revel with the lovely maidens of her court. Learning that the Amazons are about to kill his shipmates, Hercules, with the help of Ulysses, manages to make good their escape after a night of wild debauchery. At the island where the Fleece is hidden, Hercules and his mates fight off the natives, while Jason slays the dragon guarding the Golden Rams hide. On their return to Jolco, Eurysteus, who had accompanied the Argonauts in order to thwart their plans, steals the Fleece. Hercules is trapped and chained in a dungeon. Pelias orders the arrest of the Argonauts. lole assists in freeing Hercules to join his companions in battle with the King’s guards. Eurysteus is killed, and Pelias takes poison rather than face the wrath of his people. Jason is enthroned, and Hercules and lole embark on the Argo for a new life. Running Time: 107 Minutes Hercules (STEVE REEVES) sets out from Ithaca with his beautiful bride, lole (SYLVA KOSCINA) and his wise young friend Ulysses, (GABRIELE ANTONINI) who is the son of Laertes, King of Ithaca (ANDREA FANTASIA). Laertes has misgivings about what may befall them and gives them some homing pigeons to be used to send for help In case of trouble. The travellers are bound for Hercules’ own city, Thebes . On the way they pass through a valley which belongs to the giant Antaeus (PRIMO CARNERA), who tries to seize their horses and to kidnap lole. After a hard battle with Antaeus, who is the son of the Earth goddess and always renews his strength when he touches the ground, Hercules lifts him up, carries him to a cliff and throws him into the sea. Proceeding, they reach a forest which is said to contain the gates to the Inferno; and there they find the blind and exiled King Oedipus of Thebes (CESARE EANTONI).- He tells Hercules that Thebes is in trouble. His sons, Eteocles (SERO FAN- TONI) and Polynices (MIMMO PALMARA), had agreed to share the kingdom, but Eteocles has refused to keep his bargain with his brother, who is with Oedipus. Hercules offers to proceed to Thebes and try to persuade Eteoctes to keep faith with Polynices, who will otherwise invade Thebes with the Argives. King Oedipus, his heart broken, descends into the Inferno. At Thebes, Hercules tells Eteocles of his brother’s approach with the Argive army. The cruel and cunning Eteocles pretends to yield, and Hercules and Ulysses set out to inform Polynices. They pass near the island of Lydia , and Hercules drinks of a spring whose waters cause forgetfulness. The travellers are seized by the soldiers of the beautiful and seductive Queen Omphale (SYLVIA LOPEZ), who loves Hercules for his strength and beauty. Ulysses pretends to be a deaf mute, and tries in vain to recall Hercules’ memory of who he is. Ulysses sends one of the pigeons to Ithaca , with a note telling King Laertes of their plight, and Laertes sets out with a party to rescue them. As Hercules has not returned to Polynices, that ambitious young man marches on Thebes with his allies, the Argives. Eteocles furiously prepares to defend the city. lole and many others are imprisoned. Meanwhile Ulysses has discovered that when Queen Omphale tires of her lovers, they are killed and preserved in life like form by Egyptians skilled in the art. Laertes and his crew land on the island and are courteously received by Omphale. The evil queen plans to have her soldiers kill all the Greek visitors except Hercules, for whom her passion is still strong; but the Greeks swim out to Laertes’ ship, and the Queen in despair ends her own life. When the band returns to Thebes, they find Polynices and his army are at the gates. Eteocles shouts to Hercules from the walls that lole will be thrown to the tigers. Hercules and his friends gain entrance to the city by swimming under water. Polynices and Eteocles decide to fight out their brotherly quarrel in single combat, and they slay each other. The Argives capture Thebes , but Hercules saves Iole from the surrounding perils and in their happiness she says: "Somehow the gods will be kind if we just love one another." Running Time: 101 Minutes It is the middle of the 19th Century, and Czar Nicholas is determined to bring the wild tribes of the Caucasus under his sovereignty. These ruthless fighting men, with their fierce dedication to independence, are more than a match for the Czar’s elegantly tailored Russian officers, and especially for Prince Sergei (GERARD JIERTER), commander of the Russian garrison who is considerably more gifted at pampering his poodle and waxing his moustache than in bringing the tribes to subjection. Sergei’s wife, the Princess Maria (SCILLA GABEL) is dispatched from St. Petersburg by the Czar with an order for Sergei to negotiate a peace deal with Radii Murad (STEVE REEVES), the courageous and weII-loved Caucasian leader, who has been gloriously effective in keeping his tribe free of the Russian yoke. In the tent of King Shamyl (NICOLA POPO’VIC), Radji, affectionately known as the White Warrior, offers to lead his men in battle to free the Black Mountains of Russian troops. His plan opposed by Akmct Khan (RENATO BAL DINI), another tribal leader. After destroying a Russian fort, Radii returns with Czarist officers as prisoners. Re promises them that their lives will be spared. But during a victory celebration, Akmet tortures and slays the prisoners. His protests at the cruel act bring a break between Hadji and King ShamyL The White Warrior leaves to join Sultaaet (GEORGIA MOLL), a lovely young girl whom he plans to marry and who has been taking care of his motherless son. Betrayed by Monet, Hadji is captured in the forest by Russian soldiers, while Sultanet manages to escape. The wounded warrior is turned over to Prince Sergei, who offers his freedom if he will sign the peace treaty. Radji refuses, although to save the life of a faithful lieutenant who has also been captured, he agrees to discuss the situation with Sergei. Princess Maria has fallen in love with Radii and begs her husband not to torture the brave fighter. But the jealous Prince orders Radji to be tortured, believing that this will bring him around to signing the papers. In the meantime, the wicked Akmet has kidnapped Radji’s son and is about to have the youngster beheaded when Sultanet agrees to marry him to save the boy’s life. At Sergei’s palace, Hadji agrees under torture to comply with the demands of Prince Sergei. First, he requests that friend be released. Between the two of them, they overpower the guards, flee through the ballroom on horseback, - and dear the palace walls. Radji arrives back at the stronghold of Akmet just as the latter’s marriage to Sultanet is about to take place. In a violent hand-to-hand engagement, the White Warrior slays Akmet, releases his son from prison and carries off Sultanet as his own to the rejoicing of the Caucasian tribes-people who know that the White Warrior will continue to lead them in their heroic fight for independence from Czarist oppression. Running Time: 86 Minutes The story, taking place in the reign of Queen Victoria, concerns the attempt of Lord Guillon to capture Sandokan, son of the Sultan of Muluder, whom he has made a prisoner. However, by an ingenious ruse, Sandokan and his followers are able to gain access to Guillonk’s residence and to capture the latter’s niece, Mary Ann (Genevieve Grad), whom they take with them as a hostage. Pursued by Guillonk’s soldiers, they now make their escape through the swamps of a treacherous jungle and it is here that one thrilling episode after another takes place as Sandokan saves Mary Ann from being killed by a panther which he strangles with his bare hands; rescues his party when they are attacked by a herd of enraged elephants; and then falls into the hands of the dreaded head hunters, who prepare to sacrifice Sandokan and Mary Ann at the stake amid a spear-waving ceremonial dance. Circumstances save their lives, but after they resume their dangerous trek, they are ambushed by Guililonk’s sepoys and Sandokan is imprisoned at Fort Victoria, where he is to be hanged. Howlie makes his escape with the aid of a little monkey whom he has befriended and the feats by which he rallies the “Tigers of Mompracem” against the greatly outnumbering forces of Gufllonk’s soldiers leads up to the climactic battle. And here, Steve Reeves makes use of his formidable physique and ability at daring feats of stuntmanship, scaling fortress walls, making prodigious leaps, fighting six opponents single-handed in action of swashbuckling heroism. When the seemingly impregnable walls of the fortress are scaled by a vast army of Sandokan’s followers and the British are given an overwhelming de feat, this adventure-filled drama comes to a glorious conclusion. “Sandokao the Great,” filmed in Techniscope and Technicolor, was produced by Joseph Fryd and directed by Umberto Lenti. Together with the glamorous Genevieve Grad, featured roles are played by Rik Battaglia and Maurice Poli. Running Time: 110 Minutes He is seen as Randus, a Roman centurion sent by Julius Caesar to Lydia to corroborate Caesar’s belief that Grassus, governor of the province, is plotting to overthrow him and take his place as ruler of Rome. It is the ship which takes Randus on this mission which is wrecked and from which he rescues a beautiful slave girl. Following their capture and subsequent escape from Grassus’ cruel “Leopard Warriors,” Randus is given proof that he is the son of Spartacus and dedicates himself to avenge his father’s death and to free the enslaved Lydians. In order to effect his scheme, he takes on a dual personality, presenting himself to Grassus as an emissary of Caesar and becoming an intimate of his court; then taking every opportunity to don the masked helmet and sword of Spartacus to lead the revolt against the tyrant. Finally exposed, he is imprisoned in a cage on wheels and taken to the site where Grassus plans to make a victorious stand against Caesar and his legions who have arrived from Egypt. In the surging climax, Randus’ fol lowers rise to annihilate the army of Grassus who meets a horrible death under a torrent of molten gold. As the son of Spartacus, Rome’s former enemy, Randus is sentenced to die by Caesar but the latter is deterred by the thousands of supplicants who gather to plead for their hero’s life. Running Time: 90 Minutes A Long Ride from Hell - Synopsis As the film opens, a herd of horses from the Sturges stud farm is being driven to market to be sold. A band of horse thieves seize the entire herd. Mike (STEVE REEVES), the eldest son immediately decides to go after the stolen herd. Roy, his younger brother, and Bobcat, foreman of the ranch, go with him. The three men follow the tracks of a large herd of horses. It is a difficult and tiring search, for the tracks appear and disappear with discouraging regularity. The three men camp near a waterhole beside a river. Out of the darkness appears a shadow it is Mayner, a friend of Mike’s. When he learns what the men are doing, he tells them they are on the wrong track, for no horses have passed by that place. Mayner leaves, the men fall off to sleep, and Mike decides to have a look around. He walks as far as the old railway station. There he finds fresh chips from newly split firewood. On the way back to camp he is ambushed and wounded by his “friend” Mayner. A train stops to take on water and is blown up by Mayner and his gang. At the campsite Mike finds Bobcat dead and Roy gone. The next day he is arrested by Sheriff Freman, who accuses him of stealing gold from the train. The sheriff later finds Roy lying wounded by the side of the railway tracks. Both brothers are sent to the penitentiary, condemned to years of hard labor. Roy dies in the penitentiary, not able to stand the brutal treatment. Mike succeeds in making his escape with several other prisoners. He manages to make his way to Yuma City. There he asks help from a former girl friend, a prostitute. She gives him Mexican clothes. One of the guards from the prison is in the city and recognizes him. He flees and is hounded by guards who never leave his trail. Finally, on the banks of a river, they believe they have killed him, but they are mistaken. Now the chase continues across the desert. He reaches a waterhole, but bad luck pursuing, he meets up with a group of Mexican bounty hunters. They have taken one of the convicts who escaped with Mike as prisoner, and with superhuman effort Mike confronts the killers and succeeds in freeing the convict. Mike is determined to clear his name and capture the train robbers. He receives some leads about the gang from his childhood sweet heart. He finally learns where the gold is hidden and waits patiently for the gang to appear. After a long and violent battle, Mike succeeds in destroying the band of train robbers. The gold is loaded and ready to be turned over to the law, and Mike rides off, to the sound of an old cowboy song. Running Time: 94 minutes
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